Ever wonder what causes stained teeth? We’re here to give you the answers. We all want that sparkling white smile, and often feel embarrassed if our teeth begin to look stained throughout the years. While there are plenty of professional treatments and whitening products on the market, there are also ways you can reduce the amount of stains that end up staying on your precious teeth.
A good rule of thumb to remember about drinks and foods (coffee, wine, soft drinks, beetroots, etc), is if it’s something that would stain your carpet, it’s more than likely going to have the same staining effect on your teeth. For example, a study in South East Queensland, Australia looked at professional wine tasters – there was a direct correlation on the dental erosion, staining, and increased sensitivity found.
Let’s look at some other ways to avoid staining your teeth:
Keep plaque under control (stains latch onto plaque)
Rinse mouth with water after snacks, meals or drinks
Sip drinks through a straw
Use whitening toothpaste
Switch to an electric toothbrush (penetrates stains better)
Floss regularly
Quit smoking and tobacco products
Limit coffee, soft drinks, and wine
Maintain regular twice a year dental cleanings
Sparingly use at home whitening kits to stay on top of stains.
Over time, age has a large impact on the yellowing of teeth. The outer coating of your teeth, called the enamel, wears very thin which allows the under layer of dentin to show through. This results in a dull yellow tint.
Many other circumstances that you may not have considered can cause stained teeth. Examples of these are metabolism changes, fevers, illnesses, even certain antibiotics. Sometimes staining is out of your control entirely. Thankfully there are professional dental whitening services available to get your pearly whites back on track.
Contact Morrin Dental for more information on our professional teeth whitening services.